Commanding a C-5 Strategic Airlift Squadron During Operations Desert Shield/Storm
Abstract
The opportunity to command is a great honor and privilege. Command has both its rewards and challenges. During wartime they are heightened. I had the privilege to command the 9th Airlift Squadron located at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, during Operation DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. The wing was preparing for an operational readiness inspection (ORI), planned for August 1990. There were even rumors that the wing would run out of programmed flying hours and would fly only the highest priority missions in the month of September, the last month of the fiscal year. In less than two months, world events changed this picture. Early on Thursday morning 2 August 1990, Saddam Hussein's army invaded Kuwait. On 7 August, the squadron received orders to generate aircrews to begin the airlift. The squadron began what turned out to be the largest airlift operation in history -- Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. This paper offers a commander's perspective on strategic, operational and tactical issues that the 9th Airlift Squadron encountered during and following Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM. On the strategic level, the issues include the need to develop an airlift doctrine that addresses the wartime employment of airlift assets and Reserve Component activation. Operational issues include aircrew qualifications and the use of aircrew members to perform duties other than flying during contingencies. Most of these issues apply to the tactical (squadron) level dealing with multiple aircrew generation problems, casualty notification procedures, dependent care, and aircrew event tracking. A narrative addresses issues chronologically, rather than categorizing them at the different levels.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA264035
Entities
People
- Stephen M. Jones
Organizations
- United States Army War College